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Great Malaga Path (GR 249). Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona

Diputación de Málaga
GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona.

Great Malaga Path (GR 249). Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona

Route On foot
Difficulty - Blue -Easy
Access -

1. Initiation Stage:

Access Starting point:  From Málaga, take the A-45, exit 114 to join with the A-92M, exiting at 20 onto the A-7203 and finally taking the MA-231.

Starting point: Villanueva del Rosario, on the bridge over the Arroyo de la Canaleja, Calle Arroyo (Fuente Vieja).

Enjoy the walk safely:  The greater part of the way is along comfortable forest tracks or well maintained footpaths.
In the short section which takes you along the A-7230 main road it is obligatory to take the necessary precautions.

The steepest descent is towards the Hoz de Marín, through a terraced replanted pine forest. Due to the steepness and sandy terrain, you should descend carefully.

In the Hoz de Marín, you will ford a stream bed, which can have high water levels, sometimes sufficient to exceed the capacity of its.

2. Completion of Stage:

Access to finish point: Motorway A-92 Sevilla-Granada and the A-359 (Pedrizas- Salinas) and fi nally the N-331.

Finish point:    Archidona, where Calle Luis Braille meets the Avenida Andalucía.

3. Alternatives:

Possible "escape  routes": Once you have passed beneath the motorway for the second time, at kilometre 7.5, the option to leave the GR is at the Cortijo de La Saucedilla; take the track to the east. This will lead you to the main road that connects Villanueva del Trabuco with Archidona, the latter being the closer village, to your left.

No return point:  There is a very important point, the highest of this Stage, where the viewpoint of the Central Limestone Arch has been situated. After this, a fairly steep descent towards the Hoz de Marín begins. Alternatively backtrack from the lookout point or continue from the Arroyo towards Archidona.

Connections to other footpaths and trails:

PR-A 395, Fuentes de Hondonero overlaps at the start, PR-A 157, Archidona Hoz de Marín partially overlaps in the final section, GR 249.4, all route, GR 248, Alternative Route 249.4–GR 248 from the Guadalhorce, partially overlaps, GR-7 E-4, GR 7 Tarifa Athens, links up at the start.

Hazards:

• Road traffic circulating along tracks, until the mid-stage.
• Crossing the stream of La Hoz de Marín.

 

Duration - 4:15 horas
Length - 17200 Km
Routes

The River Guadalhorce (Up to km 4.2)

The route starts its descent from Villanueva del Rosario along the Camino de las Huertas (The Farmland Way) or de las Puentes (The Bridges Way). This runs close to La Canaleja stream, which has its source in the Nacimiento area in the mountains (Stage 11) and is channelled through the southeast of the village. Once you have left the houses behind, you enter a track which soon passes through orchards and rain-fed crops. It then meets El Cerezo stream, where you continue on past a single-track overpass to the other bank. The forest here consists mainly of Poplars and Elms, and the stream gently meanders round to the north. Go straight over the second crossroads, but just before the kilometre 2 mark, there is a small footbridge, which you use to cross over to the left bank. A compacted gravel path with a few benches has been laid here, making this a pleasant enough stretch. You will occasionally see some intake pipes, which channel the water off to a waste water treatment plant. Once you reach the far side of this small facility, you will notice the clean water exiting.

There is a map explaining the different places where the physical and chemical treatment takes place.

The riverside woodland becomes wider and more diverse as you approach the end of the pathway. Just where the smaller watercourse flows into the Guadalhorce (km 2.9), cross the bridge over this larger watercourse. At the turn off point for the Alternative Route 4, you cross the Guadalhorce’s GR 248 and then take a gravel road next to the MA-224 for a kilometre and a half.

The Dehesa traditional agroforestry system of Holm oaks (Up to km 12.6)

After passing under the A-92M, turn north in the area known as the Dehesa del Raso, soon passing by the Cortijo el Ventorro country house by a historic crossroads. Soon you must cross the motorway, by way of a third underpass. This brings you out to a wooded area that contrasts sharply with the countryside just a short way back.

Siegaliebres, or ‘Hare Cutter’ is the name given to the hills covered in Holm oak from La Atalaya (km 6.4) onwards. The short brush is made up of Scorpion broom, Thyme, Montpellier Cistus and Genista umbellata, with White Broom and Kermes oak trees standing out most. To complete the vegetation covering, there are Olive groves and some properties with tended-to fields. The woodland of Holm oak is now confined to the less productive areas and the path is bordered by wire fences and numerous gates. Climbing up, with the occasional sharp bend, you reach the highest point of the stage so far, at the Cerro de la Cruz. It suddenly turns 90° to the northeast near the Cortijo de la Serena (or Gómez). Just before this country estate is the karstic sinkhole.

The terrain opens up considerably with clumps of centuries-old Holm oak dotted here and there, along with other individual examples in the fields. The distant outlines of the Central Limestone Arc can be seen to the south, while the hillocks of El Yesar and El Pinar lie on the horizon to the north. The latter is recognisable by the row of pines that stands out on its elongated summit, in front of the forest behind it.

The track reaches some ruins (km 10.3) in the Calasana area and begins to gently weave through the undulating Olive and Almond groves and rain-fed farmland until it reaches the Cortijo de La Saucedilla, a little over twelve and a half kilometres from the start.

The curved valley (La Hoz) of the River Marín (To the end of the stage)

The stream that goes off to the west is the Arroyo de La Saucedilla, a tributary of the Arroyo de Marín. The path parts company with this and makes a 90° turn to the north, climbing up a steep slope in gypsiferous terrain.

The top of the hill offers some excellent views of the valley, and from here, continue walking a short way along the border between the Pine forest and Thyme bushes. You then turn left to descend the 200 metres down to the river, to the area known as Pilatos. There is hardly any undergrowth beneath the pines due to the dense cover. Nevertheless, this has favoured the growth of quite a few young Holm oaks. To return northwards, you must first go round a sharp bend at the bottom of the valley.

You cross the river at the 14.5km mark, just where it is forced to change course due to a gypsum and marlstone cliff, which is being undermined at its base. On the left we can see steep, almost treeless slopes with Thyme and Gorse bushes. On the right, leafy Elm trees arch over a section of the river creating a tunnel effect. Clean water flows here, although it can become murky due to sediment. The valley then opens up bit by bit, while the footpath becomes a track and begins to climb, leaving the curved and narrow valley behind. On the approach to Archidona, some Capers and Wild Cabbage can be seen on the escarpments. You enter the town via its southern district, and on Calle Luís Braille, where Stage 12 comes to an end.

GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Elm forest of the stream of the Hoz de Marín Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Elm forest of the stream of the Hoz de Marín GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Indigenous pine forests and scrub on plaster Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Indigenous pine forests and scrub on plaster GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Path between the forests and orchards of the Cherry (Cerezo) Stream Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Path between the forests and orchards of the Cherry (Cerezo) Stream GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Hoz de Marín from near Archidona Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Hoz de Marín from near Archidona GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Hikers Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Hikers GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Riverbed Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Riverbed GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. View of the first section of Villanueva del Rosario to El Brosque Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. View of the first section of Villanueva del Rosario to El Brosque GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Brosque Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Brosque GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. View of the landscape of the Brosque from the Hoz of Marin Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. View of the landscape of the Brosque from the Hoz of Marin GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus) Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus) GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. View of Arroyo Marín Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. View of Arroyo Marín GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. River section near Archidona Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. River section near Archidona GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Archdona from the Hoz of Marin Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Archdona from the Hoz of Marin GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Gypsum and marl of different colours Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Gypsum and marl of different colours GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The arable lands still sustain some Holm oaks while on the Loma del Pinar hill pine trees emerge Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The arable lands still sustain some Holm oaks while on the Loma del Pinar hill pine trees emerge GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Stage 12 03. Central limestone arch and Marin's sickle (Hoz de Marín) Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Stage 12 03. Central limestone arch and Marin's sickle (Hoz de Marín) GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Saucedilla farmhouse and Central Limestone Arch Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Saucedilla farmhouse and Central Limestone Arch GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Central limestone arch from the stage Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. The Central limestone arch from the stage GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Pine woods hold the slopes of gypsum and clay in Hoz de Marín Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Pine woods hold the slopes of gypsum and clay in Hoz de Marín GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Cliff gypsums and riverside forest Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Cliff gypsums and riverside forest GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Elm leaves in autumn Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Elm leaves in autumn GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Arroyo Marín, riparian woods Imagen de GR 249. Stage 12. Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona. Arroyo Marín, riparian woods GR 249 Etapa 12 Pinares de carrasco en la Hoz de Marín Imagen de GR 249 Etapa 12 Pinares de carrasco en la Hoz de Marín GR 249 Etapa 12 Olmo (Ulmus minor) Imagen de GR 249 Etapa 12 Olmo (Ulmus minor) GR 249 Etapa 12 Culebra viperina Imagen de GR 249 Etapa 12 Culebra viperina GR 249 Etapa 12 Mariposa C blanca Imagen de GR 249 Etapa 12 Mariposa C blanca GR 249 Etapa 12 Nutria (Lutra lutra) Imagen de GR 249 Etapa 12 Nutria (Lutra lutra) GR 249 Etapa 12 Águila perdicera Imagen de GR 249 Etapa 12 Águila perdicera

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